Case washing machine



Jul`y 21, 1931. G. CHRIST-ENSEN CASE WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1930 ih l- L l' w u e w Q1 m mi l m 'Y will @o N L i 1l I 14 Fi' ,I1 MINING. A l 4 `r Q gg my f l es Q P i In i NQ y e. N 1,2m

3 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

A TTOrREYS.

July 21, 1931 G. cHR'lsTENsl-:N 1,815,239

CASE WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan` 5, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N Q E! `J "G o k" 'n W b @K o O E 0 lOl ATTORNEYS.

July 21, 1931. u G, CHRlSTENSEN 1,815,239.

CASE WASHING MACHINE Fi led Jan. 3, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MIZ ' ATTORNEYS.

lPatented July 21, 1931 UNITED STATES encreur orrieE GODFREY OHRISTENSEN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR- TO GOLDEN STATE MILK PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORA- 'IION OF CALIFORNIA CASE WASHING MACHINE Application filed January 3, 1930.

This invention relates to a machine for washing containers, particularly to the washing of cases used for containing milk bottles.

It is a broad object of my invention to de- 5 vise a machine generally useful for the washing of cases, the machine handling the cases to be washed in a regular and efficient manner, thus obviating the necessity for substantially any hand labor.

'I he invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which with the foregoing will be set forth at length in the following description where I shall outline in full that form of case washing machine of my invention, which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. In said drawings I have shown one form of case washing machine embodying my invention,

but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form since the invention,` as set forth in the claims, may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

In the' drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a form of machine embodying my invention. y

Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a view, partly as a section through the machine shown in Figure 2 and partly diagrammatic to illustrate the operations.

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating the means for handling the cases.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a portion of the driving mechanism.

The cases used for the handling and transporting of milk bottles are subject to contact with milk to some extent and to attendant dirt and grime. With such an article as milk, the utmost cleanliness and appearance of cleanliness must be preserved. In accordance with my invention I have provided a machine 15 useful for cleaning the cases in which the milk bottles are transported and handled. These cases usually comprise an oblong wooden box or casing within which are positioned several wire screens or nettings to support and i0 to space the bottles apart. The netting used Serial No. 418,243.

for supporting the bottles is ordinarily positioned within the box at some little distance from the bottom.

In accordance with my invention I have devised a machine in which the boxes are subject to the action of a suitable cleansing solution and a suitable cleaning agent thoroughly to clean the boxes. Further, I have devised a machinein which the cases, ordinarily oblong in contour, are successfully handled while their several exterior surfaces are cleansed substantially without any hand operations from the beginning to the end of the cleansing.

In that embodiment of the machine of my invention which I have here chosen for disclosure, a framework indicated generally at 6 is assembled of such structural elements as channels and angles. The framework 6 is so constructed that it suitably supports conveyor 7 which is adapted to travel in a predetermined patlubeiug supported by pairs of rotatable sprockets 8 and 9. Sprockets 9 are adapted to be driven from a. suitable source of power, as will presently be revealed, while sprockets 8 drive, through an intermediary shaft 11 upon which they are positioned, a sprocket 12 carrying a chain 13. The chain 13 extends to and drives a second conveyor 14 positioned upon an auxiliary framework 1G. rIhe relationship between the two conveyors is such that cases delivered to the auxiliary conveyor 16 are engaged by lugs 17 thereon and are, as the auxiliary conveyor traverses its path, deliveredto conveyor 7 and are received thereon by case receiving means indicated generally at 21.

The conveyor 7 comprises a pair of spaced chains 22 which are receivable by the two pairs of sprockets 8 and S), The case receiving means 21 are conveniently positioned by ei:- tending bars 23 and 24 between the chains. A. framework 2G is formed with alined eyes 27 to receive bar L3 and with alined elongated eyes 2S to receive bar 24 so that relative movement may occur aetween the framework and the bar 24. rlfhis construction accommodates the case receiving means to passage about the periphery of the sprocket as is particularly shown in Figure 1.

The framework is conveniently a casting having arms 29 extending inwardly to a central portion 30 adapted to pass a shaft 3l. Joined to the shaft by a key is a case supporting framework provided with projections 3ft to engage sides and ends 36 and bottom netting 37 or" a case.

Upon a case being discharged from auxiliar Y conveyor lll to the main conveyor and being received upon the case engaging means, the case is transported by the conveyor .7. To accomplish the cleani ot' the cases, in accordance with my invention, I have provided means for cleaniu the as they are transported by the main conveyor. This conveniently comprises suitable friction scrubbing means as prorided by sets al and 42 of brushes. These are rotatably mounted on opposite sides and adjacent to the coni-eyor so that they Contact opposite sides of cases on the conveyor. i el. ming solution, usually soap and water "c supplied from a tank 43. This tank is pomdonel beneath the conveyor and adjacent to the brushes il and 42. A pump del operated by suitable motive prm'er as motor Lin/5 drav. the 'ieaning solution through suc-tion pipe it? and supplies it through discharge nerf/:les adjacent to Lh `v brushes. To facilitate handling of the soution I have secured an attachment e9 to the tank to include a drain l and an .overflow tor the tanl. vrEhe disch orn the solution tal-ies place adjacent th 'zrushes so that the iricticiiai scr .bbing ot the ontside oi the occurs in the presence oi. the solution. The rotating brushes tend to throw and scatter the solution dur-ing ther rotation. To overcome this, I secure arcuately formed guards adjacent cach et the brushes and extending 4ohition thrown cti by about t icm tlm t' the brushes is pi from scatterin gcninto the tank.

era-ily and is drained dou lVhere the phrase a par of brushes appears in the ch inns, it is to be understood that two brushes, other equivalent iriction scrubbingmeans, at least are present, each on opposite s oi" the conveyo means so that opposite parallel of the cases are creansef..

The brushes and the conveyors are conveniently driven from a single source of power as motor 6l which carries upon its shaft 62 a spur gear o2 which engages a second spur gear Gei'carl, lng an adjustable triction clutch Go. Friction clutch G5 acts upon and delivers power to. shaft GT upon which it is rotatably positioned The clutch 65 includes means for adpisti ng it so that if the machine becomes jammed, the clutch slips and not-hing is damaged. v haft G7 also carries driving' gear GS which transmits power from the shai'ft to sprocket 9 through a driven gear 69 and shaft TO through gearing "(1 to shaft TF2 upon which sprockets 9 are secured. A chain sprocket- 73 is also secured upon Laisse@ shaft 6T and has a chain Tet extending about it from a second chain sprocket T5 which is carried by pulley shaft 'KG'. Several pulleys T7 are mounted upon the pulley shaft and have belts 78 extending about them and about other pulleys "i9, secu-red upon the rotatably mounted brushes el and 42, and about idler pulleys Si. lhe relationship of the various gears.. sprockets and pulleys such that the proper speed and direction of rotation together vnu-.ih su'licient )owcr is furnished the various units :from the single source of power.

Since the cases are usually oblong in outine, and since itis oesirable that each exerior surface be washed, I preferably contruct the nachine of my invention in such manner that corresponding sides of the ,ases are presented for washing at one time o set el of the brushes and at a subsequent time the other corresponding sides of the case are presented to the other set 42 ot the brushes. To accomplish this, I provide con- Yraining means for maintaining the cases in r.redetermined relationship with respect to tue conveyor over a portion of its path and other means for moving the cases to another pos on. 'E his constraining means is preferablv formed by a pair of angles 82 extending adjacent the conveyor and adapted to engage a member S3, usually square, secured upon shaft ie member 83 engages the angles and constrains the case engaging means gainst rotation. This constraint is prefer- 1 blv continued until aiter the conyeyor has rted the case past set il of the -i gies are then deformed to provide interruptions 84 whereupon rotation et the case may be had so that the other sides of the case, as yet unwashed, may be subject to the other` set 42 oi" the brushes.

of Figure 3 so that the case occupies a posi- K tion at 90 degrees to its former position. I prefer that the opposite sides of the case which are nearest together be presented to the first set 4l of the brushes' and the opposite sides which are farthest apart be presented to the second set. Accordingly, the second set 4t2 ot brushes are spaced away from the conveyor for a greater distance than are the lirst set 4l, as is shown in Figure 3. Following the engagement of the Geneva cross with the abutment 86 and the cleaning of the sides of tl e cases by the brushes 42, the position of the cases with respect to the conveyor is again changed so that they are removed 180 degrees Jfrom that position in which they originallyentered the conveyor.

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This is conveniently accomplished by providing other interruptions 91 and another abutment 92 to engage again the Geneva cross and rotate the cases. Following the travel through the machine the cases may be discharged to be removed therefrom and filled or stacked as desired.

I claim:

1. In a machine Jfor washing the exterior vertical sides of a case, conveyor means for moving cases over a path, means on the conveyor means for engaging each case to retain the engaged case in a predetermined position relative to the conveyor means, a pair of brushes positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor means to engage and cleanse parallel and opposite vertical sides of cases moved relative to the brushes on the conveyor means, means for moving the case engaging means whereby each case is turned in a horizontal plane relative to the conveyor means after engagement with the pair of brushes, and another pair of brushes positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor to engage and cleanse the unscrubbed parallel opposite vertical sides of said cases moved relative thereto on the conveyor means.

2. In a machine for washing the exterior vertical sides of a case, conveyor means for moving cases over a path, a pair of brushes positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor means to engage and cleanse parallel and opposite vertical sides of cases moved relative to the brushes on the conveyor means, means for moving each case whereby the case is turned 90 in a horizontal plane relative to the conveyor means after engagement with the pair of brushes, and another pair of brushes positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor to engage and cleanse the unscrubbed parallel opposite vertical sides of said cases moved relative thereto on the conveyor means.

In a machine for washing the exterior vertical sides of a case, conveyor means for moving cases over a path, means rotatably mounted on the conveyor means for engaging each case to retain the engaged case in a predetermined position relative to the conveyor means,a pair of brushes positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor means to engage and cleanse parallel and opposite vertical sides of cases moved relative to the brushes on the conveyor means, means Jfor engaging the case engaging means to rotate said case engaging means whereby each case is turned 90 in a horizontal plane relative to the conveyor means after engagement with the pair of brushes, and another pair of brushes positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor to engage and cleanse the unscrubbed parallel opposite vertical sides of said cases moved relative thereto on the conveyor means.

e. In a machine for washing the exterior vertical sides of a case', conveyor means for v moving cases over a path, meanson the conf veyor means for engaging each case to retain the engaged case in a predetermined position relative to the conveyor means, a pair Yof brushes positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor means toengage and cleanse parallel and opposite vertical sides of cases moved relative to the brushes on the conveyor means, means for moving the case engaging means whereby each case is turned 90 in a horizontal plane relative to the conveyor means after engagement with the pair of brushes, another pair of brushes positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor to engage and cleanse the unscrubbed parallel opposite vertical sides of said cases moved relative thereto on the conveyor means, and means for moving the case engaging means through another 90 so that each case is substantially in its original position relative to the conve-yor means.

5. In a machine for washing the exterior vertical sides of a case, conveyor means for moving cases over a path, means rotatably mounted on the conveyor means for engaging each case to retain the engaged case in a predetermined position relative to the conveyor means; the case engaging means including a rotatable support for a case', and a Geneva` cross carried with said rotatable support; a pair of brushes positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor means to engage and cleanse parallel and opposite vertical sides of cases moved relative to the brushes on the conveyor means, means for engaging the Geneva cross on the case engaging means to rotate said case engaging means whereby each case is turned 90 in a horizontal plane relative to the conveyor means after engagement with the pair of brushes, and another pair of brushes positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor to 'engage and cleanse the unscrubbed parallel opposite vertical sides of said cases moved relative thereto on the conveyor means.

6. In a machine for washing the exterior vertical sides of a case, conveyor means for moving cases over a path, means rotatably mounted on the conveyor means for engaging each case to retain the engaged case in a predetermined position relative to the conveyor means; the case engaging means including a rotatable support for a case, and a Geneva cross carried with said rotatable support; a pair of brushes positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor means to engage and cleanse parallel and opposite vertical sides of cases moved relative to the brushes on the conveyor means, means for engaging the Geneva cross on the case engaging means to rotate said case engaging means whereby each case is turned 90 in a horizontal plane relative to the conveyor means after engagement with the pair of brushes, another pair of brushes' positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor to engage and cleanse the unscrubbed parallel opposite vertical sides of said cases moved relative thereto on the conveyor means, and means for moving` the case engaging means through another 90O so that each Case is substantially in its original position relative to the conveyor means.

In testimony whereof, have hereunto set my hand.v f

GODFREY CHRISTEN SEN. 

